fusain

[ fyoo-zeyn, fyoo-zeyn; French fy-zan ]

noun,plural fu·sains [fyoo-zeynz, fyoo-zeynz; French fy-zan] /fyuˈzeɪnz, ˈfyu zeɪnz; French füˈzɛ̃/ for 2.
  1. a fine charcoal used in drawing, made from the wood of the spindle tree.

  2. a drawing made with this charcoal.

  1. a blackish-gray, friable component of coal with a silky luster that leaves a charcoallike mark.

Origin of fusain

1
1865–70; <French: spindle tree, charcoal made from its wood <Vulgar Latin *fūsāgīn- (stem of *fūsāgō), derivative of Latin fūsus spindle

Words Nearby fusain

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British Dictionary definitions for fusain

fusain

/ (fjuːˈzeɪn, French fyzɛ̃) /


noun
  1. a fine charcoal pencil or stick made from the spindle tree

  2. a drawing done with such a pencil

  1. a dull black brittle form of carbon resembling charcoal, found in certain coals

Origin of fusain

1
C19: from French: spindle tree or charcoal made from it, from Vulgar Latin fūsāgō (unattested) a spindle (generally made from the spindle tree), from Latin fūsus

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